For The First Time In History, Undocumented Immigrants Will Have A Voice At The Supreme Court

Members of CASA de Maryland participate in a immigration rally outside the Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court will convene on Monday for oral arguments in a case that could determine the fate of millions of undocumented immigrants hoping for relief from the looming threat of deportation.

At stake are two of President Obama’s executive actions — the Deferred Action for Parents and Americans (DAPA) and its sister initiative, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA+) — that sought to improve the situation for unauthorized immigrants in the absence of congressional action on the issue. DAPA and DACA+ would give immigrants with deep ties to the country more options to stay and work in the United States.

But after a group of GOP-led states sued the administration, the initiatives were blocked from taking effect. Now, the future of the two policies rests on the U.S. Supreme Court, and undocumented immigrants and their families are awaiting the high court’s decision with bated breath.

Some of those people have submitted their stories in an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court, explaining how they’ve already benefited from the 2012 iteration of the DACA initiative. It represents the first time in history that undocumented immigrants’ personal stories have gone all the way to the highest court in the country.

Ultimately, they hope that they can compel the justices to understand how the policies have changed their lives.